Hardware based “Root of Trust” is a fundamental building block for any secure computing system. Key elements of secure computing require authentication, sending data to an authorized source, and/or loading data onto a designated device. In general, cryptographic keys in binary code form the basis of securing data and bit streams. Typically, such cryptographic keys are stored in non-volatile memory and are present on an integrated circuit (IC) at all times. If an attacker can extract the key from a device, the entire foundation for secure computing is in jeopardy. For example, an attacker with physical access to the device can delayer a chip, and read out the stored code based on the state of the transistors. Thus, securing cryptographic keys requires anti-tamper technologies, which may be relatively expensive and may therefore not be suitable for implementation in various devices like field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), mobile devices, and sensors.